There are three types of fat in the body: subcutaneous fat, triglycerides, and visceral fat. While the first two ? subcutaneous fat and triglycerides ? may be considered healthy, visceral fat is not.

Subcutaneous fat is the layer of fat that resides underneath the epidermis (outer part of the skin) but above the abdominal muscles. Triglycerides, on the other hand, are groups of fat that are found in the bloodstream. More than 90% of the body?s fat content is of this type.

Visceral fat, or belly fat, is a layer of fat around the belly and is considered harmful to overall health, especially when it is in excess. Visceral fat is located beneath the abdominal muscles. The risk of diseases such as colorectal cancer and heart disease gets higher when there is too much fat in the body.

According to research, visceral fat poses these risks due to the fact that fat cells stimulate the production of hormones and chemicals in the body. When visceral fat becomes excess, the level of these chemicals also increases, thereby, causing damage to body organs.